Camp Kenya

Projects

Makongeni is a small rural community situated 50 km south of Mombasa in the district of Msambweni. Makongeni village consists mainly of residential dwellings with one or two kiosks that sell basic grocery supplies. Makongeni primary school, was originally designed to accommodate around 150 pupils, however, since the recent advent of free primary school education in Kenya, this small school now facilitates over 600 pupils.

Muhaka Primary School is situated in the heart of the community on the lower slopes of the Shimba hills of Kwale District. The school is set next to a beautiful protected forest close to the main road leading to the rolling Shimba hills and Sable Valley. The community is made up of the indigenous Digo tribe, who are mainly subsistence farmers and therefore have limited income. The school was set up in 1944 but has been neglected such that its total pupil population today is only 300.

Homestead Orphanage Project. You may get the opportunity to do project work at a local homestead orphanage which is also a challenging, humbling and rewarding part of your community work.

Mwaluganje Elephant Sanctuary in the Shimba Hills.  The Elephant Sanctuary is a community-based program, where by local people have “leased” their property to a community based trust, which manages the sanctuary for the benefit and preservation of the elephants. It also provides valuable revenue for the landowners and local people, realised through eco-tourism and gate entrance fees. It is one of the most amazing locations you will visit during your stay with us with one of the densest populations of elephants per square mile anywhere worldwide. There is a mobile camp for working safaris and you will have the opportunity to spend time camping and working in the Sanctuary alongside the Wildlife Rangers, local communities and of course, the elephants. You will typically spend 4-5 days at Mwaluganje and the focus is to develop wildlife initiatives, which benefit the local communities and in turn the elephants. Besides all of this, Mwaluganje is quite simply stunning and although the camp here is a little more basic than some of our others, roughing it in the bush will give you a taste of real Africa!

Marine Conservation - the coastal ecosystem of Kenya is rich in biological resources including long white sandy beaches, diverse coral reefs and mangroves, a rich cultural history and traditions, and abundant marine and terrestrial wildlife. It is listed as one of the top 25 Global Biodiversity Hotspots - harbouring more species of plant and animal life than anywhere else on Earth. This course is run in partnership with The East African Whale Shark Trust and Project AWARE and gets you involved in a range of activities such as Shoreline Safaris and Clean-ups, Environmental education workshops with local schools and poster and signboard construction.

Primate Conservation - Our Primate Conservation Course is designed to give you a taster into practical conservation work and gives you the opportunity to learn new skills and make a valuable contribution to the protection of Kenya’s monkeys. Whether you are interested in pursuing a career in conservation and research, or simply have a passion for wildlife, this course offers an informative and entertaining insight into ways of conserving these amazing animals. This course is run in partnership with The Colobus Trust and WWF and will combine a mixture of classroom and field sessions to give an introduction to primate conservation work.

Packages - don't forget the mountain and ocean add ons!

Camp Kenya – 1 month including:
* 2 day Orientation of local area, basic Swahili lessons
* Half day snorkelling trip (boat tour to sandbanks and beaches)
* Community and Wildlife Project work
* 3 day Big Game Safari in a Kenyan National Park
* Park entrance fees (we reserve the right to pass on any increases in park fees).
* Shimba / Mwaluganje Elephant Sanctuary working Safari
* Cultural Village Tour
* Free Time for R & R
* 24hr support from Camp Kenya
* Fully staffed camp - cooks, drivers, housekeeping
* Regular trips to the Beach/Diani town
* Scheduled access to internet cafes
* Regular beach parties
* Wide range of optional activities incl Mountain Trekking, Scuba Diving & Kite surfing.
* 24hr Security on Camps
* Project Funds, Project Materials and Project Coordination
* Unlimited safe drinking water
* Camp food and accommodation throughout
* Price - £1550

Camp Kenya – 2 months including:
* This package include the same as the 1 month package PLUS…
* Primate Conservation Program
* Marine Conservation Program
* Price - £2200

Camp Kenya – 3 months including:
* This package is the same as the two-month package but gives you the extra time in camp to play a bigger part in the projects and also to create a stronger bond with the local people, staff and fellow gappers.
* Extra accommodation costs for the extra month are included.
* Price - £2850